Poultry plucking machine



G. W. JOHNSON POULTRY PLUCKING MACHINE Nov. 23, 1.954

2 sheetsrsheet l Original Filed July 11 I W INVEN TOR. orao/r /4../0/7/750/7 A TrbR/VEK Nov. 23, 1954 G- w. JOHNSON POULTRY PLUCKINGMACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 11 1949 INVEN TOR. Gard MWJa/mam ATTORNE;

United States Patent POULTRY PLUCKING MACHINE Gordon W. Johnson,Raytown, Mo., assignor to Gordon Johnson Equipment Company, Kansas City,Mo., a corporation of Missouri Original application July 11, 1949,Serial No. 104,037, now Patent No. 2,637,067, dated May 5, 1953. Dividedand this application October 2, 1952, Serial No. 312,791

2 Claims. (Cl. 1711.1)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in poultryplucking machines, and has particular reference to poultry pluckingmachines of the rotary drum type.

This application is a division. of my co-pending application Serial No.104,037 filed July 11, 1949, now Patent No. 2,637,067, dated May 5,1953.

In poultry plucking machines wherein feathers are removed from the fowlby means of flexible, resilient fingers mounted on the peripheries ofrotatably driven drums, it has been found advantageous to mount thefingers on the drum pivotally, about axes parallel to the axis of thedrum. This permits the weight and resilience of the fingers to beselected for maximum efiiciency of picking, while the pivotal mountingpermits the fingers to be deflected to pass around the body of the fowl.A disadvantage of this arrangement has been that whenever a fingerbecame worn at either its pivot or at its fowl contacting portions, theentire finger had necessarily to be replaced. The principal object ofthe present invention is, therefore, the provision of a poultry pickingmachine of the class described wherein the resilient fingers are eachfixed in rigid members which are in turn pivotally mounted on the drums.By this arrangement use may be made of metallic pivot members havinggood wearing characteristics, and the resilient fingers may beindividually removed and replaced when necessary. Valuable economies arethus effected, since the pivot members are virtually indestructible andthe fingers themselves are more economical to manufacture.

Another object is the provision of a poultry pluckingmachine of theclass described wherein the pivot members may be removed individually.

A further object is the provision of means whereby the resilient fingersare secured against accidental removal from the pivot members.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, dependabilityand efficiency of operation, and ease and convenience of servicing.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to thedrawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a poultry plucking machine embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line IIIIII of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, with theouter end portions of the fingers broken away.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VV of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged and foreshortened section taken on line VII--VIIof Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on line VIII--VIII of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line lX-IX of Fig. 7.

In each of the views the flexible resilient fingers are shown extendedradially to the drums, in the position into which they are urged bycentrifugal force when the drums are rotated. Like numerals apply tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies toa base on which are rigidly mounted two parallel upright end frames 4. Apair of horizontal 2 ,694,829 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 ice drum-s 6 and 8are carried by said end frames in horizontally spaced apart parallelrelation, each of said drums having end shafts 10 at the ends thereofcarried for rotation in bearings 12 mounted on said end frames.-

Shafts 10 are extended past bearings 12 at one end of drums 6 and 8, andpulleys 14 and 16 are fixed respectively to the extended portions ofsaid shafts. Said pulleys are respectively connected by belts 18 and 20with pulleys 22 and 24, said last named pulleys being carried rigidly onthe shaft 26 of a motor 28 mounted rigidly on base 2. Belt 18 iscrossed, while belt 20 is not, thereby providing counter-rotation of thedrums, as indicated by the directional arrows in Figs. 2 and 4.

Each of drums 6 and 8 includes a tubular hub 30 coaxial with end shafts10, and a plurality of discs 32 fixed concentrically on said hub andspaced equally along the length of said hub. Extending between eachsuccessive pair of discs, parallel to hub 32, are a plurality of rods34, said rods being spaced equally about the peripheries of said discs.Each of said rods extends through its supporting discs, and is retainedtherein by wires 36 inserted through said rods adjacent the outersurfaces of said discs, as shown in Figs. 4 to 6. It will be noted thatthe rods 34 between successive pairs of discs 32 are circumferentiallystaggered, in order to facilitate removal of each rod individually.

Mounted pivotally on each of rods 34 is a holder member 38, best shownin Figs. 4 to 8. Each of said holders is substantially channel shaped,being disposed longitudinally parallel to rod 34 and being open alongone edge and of such length as to fit freely between discs 32. Saidchannel has a relatively narrow inner side wall 40, and a relativelybroad outer side wall 42. Said channel is filled in solid at intervalsalong its length to provide bearings 44 for rod 34. It will be notedthat rod 34 is disposed close to the inner wall 40 of the holder, andthis disposition, together with the relatively greater bulk of outerwall 42, causes the holders to assume the position shown in Fig. 4 bycentrifual force when the drums are rotated. Outer wall 42 is extendedlongitudinally at each end to form stops 46 overlapping the edges ofdiscs 32 to limit the pivotal movement of the holder on rod 34.

Each of holders 38 carries a plurality of elongated fingers 48 made of aflexible, resilient material such as soft rubber or the like. The bodyportion of each finger is substantially semicircular in cross-section,as shown in Fig. 9, and its curved face is formed to present a pluralityof transversely extending ribs or ridges 50. The base or inner endportion 52 of each finger is rectangular in cross-section, as shown inFig. 8, and is taperingly enlarged toward its end. In mounting thefinger in the holder, the outer or free end of the finger is insertedoutwardly through a rectangular hole 54 provided therefore in outer wall42 of the holder and the entire body portion of the finger is drawntherethrough. The base 52 of the finger is compressed as it is drawnthrough the hole until grooves 56 formed in opposite sides of saidfinger base engage wall 42 at opposite sides of said hole. The base ofthe finger is thus held firmly in the holder. Due to the fact thatfinger base 52 extends closely adjacent pivot rod 34, the fingers can beinserted only when said rod is removed, and said rod prevents accidentalremoval of the finger from its holder.

Holders 38 may be proportioned to hold any desired number of fingers. Inthe drawing the holders are shown holding three and four fingers each,in such relation that the fingers of circumferentially successiveholders are relatively staggered, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The bearingportions 44 of the holders are disposed to permit this relationship ofthe fingers.

In operation drums 6 and 8 are rotated by motor 28 in the directionsindicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The fingers assume positions radialto the drums, due to the action of centrifugal force both on the holders38 and on the fingers themselves. As the carcass of a fowl is introducedbetween the drums, it is contacted with a whipping, wiping motion by theribbed surfaces of the fingers, and the feathers are thereby removedfrom the carcass. Providing pivotal mounting for the resilient fingerspermits the weight, length, and resilience of .ient fingers; locking thefingers securely'in place; and

permitting the easy removal andreplacementof worn fingerswithout-disturbing the remainder of ,the fingers.

Although I haveshowna specific. embodiment of my invention it isapparent that many minor varia'tions of construction vandpperation,could be made withoutdeparting from .thespirit of the invention, andit'is'therefore requested that my protectionsextend to all subject matterproperly falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredtobe secured by. Letter Patent is:

1. Finger holding meansfor poultry pluckingmachines comprising. anelongated member provided with .a rod-receiving. bearing, adapting. the.same. for pivotal mounting and therebyswinging movement on,an axisparallel with the longitudinal axis thereof, said memher being providedwith a finger-receiving hole having an axis perpendicular to saidswinging axis .of the mem- .ber.

2. Finger holding means for poultry plucki'ng machines comprising anelongated, transversely arcuate member having a finger-receiving holetherein; and an eccentric, rod-receiving bearing mounted on said member,adapting the same for pivotal mounting and thereby swinging movement onan axis parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof.

References Cited in the file of. this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 614,408 Palmer Nov. 15, .1898 2,354,112 Garst "July 18,1944 2,376,120 'Campbellet-al. May 15, 1945 2,524,942 Tomlinson Oct. 10,1950 2,528,215 Doupriik Oct. 31, 1950 2,562,681 Pine .July .31, .19512,595,435 'Wolfinger May. 6, 1952 2,596,780 Meyers etal May 13, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 318,308 Germany, "Sept. -18, 1918665,124 France -a Apr. 30, 1929 116,500 Australia Jan.'27,'l943

